It’s no secret that childhood literacy is a huge indicator of a number of things within our society. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 85% of U.S. juvenile inmates are illiterate. The idea of childhood literacy is an easy one to support because of the many benefits that come with children in our communities having the skills necessary for their academic success, not to mention the life skills that come along with being able to read.

Earlier this month I had the opportunity to sponsor an event with the Spalding County Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy promoting literacy in children. The event took place at the Griffin-Spalding County Library. First Lady Sandra Deal led storytime for the children in attendance and also gave a brief talk about the importance of early childhood literacy. It was a privilege to hear the First Lady emphasize the importance of something that affects our children and ultimately the future of our communities.

It was also a privilege to partner with an organization like the Spalding County Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy for this event. This nonprofit organization exists with the goal to register children in Spalding County up to age 5 years old to receive one book a month until they reach the age of 5. Their mission is to “provide books for local communities to prepare all Georgia preschool children for reading and learning success.”

Organizations like the Spalding County Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy are doing great things to raise awareness for an important issue in our communities. It is my hope that through events like the one I was able to be part of we can empower parents and educators to believe in literacy for our children.